Sensor arrangements are known from prior art which are primarily used for sensing displacements and/or detecting positions. Thus, in DE 10 2004 027 117 A1 a mechanism for detecting the stroke position of a clutch piston for actuating the clutch, which is arranged axially displaceable in a rotating clutch, is proposed, where the stroke position of the clutch piston is detected contactless. In this case, the sensor device comprises a sensor arranged in a transmission housing for the detection of the position of a magnet which is preferably arranged at the clutch piston.
DE 100 18 677 A1 describes a clutch system having a friction clutch and a corresponding actuating mechanism. A measuring arrangement comprises a coil bobbin and a measuring element. The measuring element is motionally coupled to a clutch disengaging piston and has a magnetic element. Upon axial movement of the clutch disengaging piston the magnetic element interacts with the coil bobbin in such a manner that an electric signal, which represents the axial position of the magnetic element and thus of the clutch disengaging piston, is transmitted to a control and/or regulating unit via electrical lines.
The undisclosed application by the applicant filed under No. 10 2006 054 401 discloses a sensor arrangement for a clutch device. The sensor arrangement comprises a separate sensor part, a connecting section, a position sensor and a signal line. The sensor part may be attached to a transmission and/or clutch housing via the mounting section. The position sensor is used for measuring the axial movement of a release cylinder of the clutch arrangement, a signal representing the position of the release cylinder being transmitted, via the signal line, to electronic controls. The sensor part is configured in such a manner that the mounting section and the connecting section are aligned to one another in a constant arrangement so that the connecting section is automatically connected to the electronic controls when the mounting section is attached to the transmission and/or clutch housing. During the assembly of the sensor part, it is thus ensured that the signal line is securely connected to the electronic controls.
A disadvantage of sensor arrangements from prior art is that the sensor for determining the position of a clutch disengaging mechanism is no longer accessible from the outside if the transmission is flange mounted to a drive unit, an internal combustion engine, for example. In case of a failure of the sensor, the transmission has consequently to be removed in order to replace the sensor.